Once in a Blue Moon
by Baylina
Summary: When Itachi is offered a chance to make one last wish in the spirit world, he finds that help comes in suspiciously strange forms. In forming a pact with a wolf who once sought the gateway to Paradise, can he ultimately save his brother's soul?
1. Prologue

**A/N:** This chapter is a bit poetical. A couple references to outside literary works are written into the story. They have been noted with end notes. The following chapters will follow a more usual format. This is just my creativity having a field day. Writing a story pertaining to Blue has been in the back of my mind for several, several months. Originally, I was going to do a crossover with her in another anime, but alas, apparently not.

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><p><strong>Prologue—Born in a Night<strong>

_We are led to believe a lie_  
><em>When we see not through the eye<em>  
><em>Which was born in a night to perish in a night,<em>  
><em>When the soul slept in beams of light.<em>

-William Blake, _Auguries of Innocence_

* * *

><p>Once in a blue moon, when a world is reborn, the angels of some far-away heaven come to answer the howl of the wolves.<p>

They sweep down into moonlit forests, rattling the leaves with the breeze of their wings. They touch down among fields of lunar flowers, dancing to that feral harmonious dirge—dancing as if they have waited an eternity for this night.

They glide in the wind, bending around the notes of the collective voices, holding them in the cup of their ethereal hands. And then they too begin to sing, chiming in to join the call of the wild. They sing and sing until they can sing no more. And their voices are like beacons, calling to those beautiful wild beasts. _"Come, come, my children,"_ they hum sweetly, allowing the wind to carry their words, _"for you stand now at the gateway to Paradise."_

The wolves come from all corners of the new world and gather in the shadows of the full moon, among silver enchanted fields and racing fireflies. They come and sit among the angels, allowing them to pet them and pamper them, listening as they sing the songs of old.

But on that particular night, the night that Cheza sprouted a new world into being, the five wolves were unable to enter Paradise. They could only watch helplessly as it grew further away—the dream, the desire, the desperation—all lost to the obscure fogs of their own fleeing souls.

* * *

><p>Once in a blue moon, a child's soul is shattered by blood.<p>

Uchiha Itachi was a mere boy the night he killed his clan, but he made the choice of a man.

Hoping to save his brother, he chose to play on Sasuke's hatred, demanding that the child chase after him—demanding that the one person he loved the most in the world hate him in order to become stronger.

As he cast Sasuke into sleep amidst the dead bodies and shattered glass, Itachi shed his first tears.

Not for himself, as he wanted to do, not for the dead, but for the child in the rubble—the child he had doomed to loneliness and turmoil for the rest of his life.

And yet, even in the obscurity of those thoughts, Itachi could not help but believe that surely things could be different. Surely there was hope. Sasuke would have the world before him and choices to make. He could make _different_ ones. He could rebuild the clan—this time free of the curse.

And so Itachi held that hope in his heart, becoming the villain so that his brother could be the hero.

* * *

><p>Once in a blue moon, things go the way we want. But more often and not, we are left to clutch the coattails of chance, allowing it to merely drag us along.<p>

Such was the case of Uchiha Itachi, who had placed all his hopes and dreams in Sasuke's future, only to have them shatter at his feet.

Uchiha Sasuke sold his soul to the devil. Revenge swept him away into the wings of a fury—a fury that proceeded to darken his heart day by day, until only a silhouette of the broken child remained. Until, eventually, even that silhouette began to fade into the darkness.

Perhaps, had he had someone guiding him from the beginning, things might have been different. Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura. They had all arrived too late. Four long years had passed before they began futile attempts to erase the marks of hatred from Sasuke's tainted soul. By then he had already resigned himself over to power—to a singular desire to destroy.

* * *

><p>Once in a blue moon, those angels from a far-away heaven come to stand before the mortals—to answer a silent prayer of a seeking soul.<p>

And thus, as Uchiha Itachi smiled lovingly at his younger brother for the last time, releasing his soul to the heavens, the angels took pity on his struggle.

"_You have fought a hard life; you have murdered and killed, shedding blood to protect the things most dear to you," _they stood before him in a mixture of bright light. "_In your world, you were damned, but we see differently. You are pure."_

_Pure, _they echoed, their voices filling the void. _Pure. And so few are pure._

Itachi was hardly aware of their presence until they touched him, their skin, warm and fluid, taking shape with the contact. Then he could see their evanescent beauty—the way the shadows fled from the chasms of the swirling colors in their eyes. The way their warmth seemed to spread through him like slow trickling lava.

"_We can take you to where Lunar Flowers grow."_

"And what will I find there?" his voice rippled. "What will I find among Lunar Flowers?"

"_You will find Them—the Wolves. The Wolves who seek Paradise but cannot enter. Perhaps one among them can serve you."_

"Serve me?"

"_A pact can be made. A wish granted. Go. Go to the Lunar Flowers. We will guide you."_

* * *

><p>Once in a blue moon, a wish is granted.<p>

The angels found the fleeing souls of the five wolves and brought them to the gateway.

"Why can't we enter?" the white wolf asked.

"_You died, Protector of the Lunar Flower, before the rebirth."_

"After all that we have done. After all that we have lost. Will you truly bar us from Paradise?"

"_There is a way. A wish can be granted. But only for one."_

Itachi stepped forward then, announcing his presence, "I have wished for a guardian. They brought me to you."

"_He who accepts Uchiha Itachi's wish shall be given a wish of his own." _

"Why do you need a guardian," the white wolf asked, "when you are already dead?"

Itachi seemed almost forlorn; could he willingly ask this of these strangers? It would separate them; it would destroy the pack. But it was merely an offer, he reminded himself. They could choose whether or not they wished to accept.

"In my world, some years ago, I murdered my clan and my family to protect my village from destruction. I could not, however, bring myself to kill my younger brother. But that night—" Itachi paused, remembering Sasuke's screams as he tortured him in his Tsukuyomi, "he was lost to the idea of revenge. Because of me, he lost his soul. But if someone could have been there—to guide him—"

Itachi could bring himself to say no more. The guilt of his decisions became perilously close to spilling over in a flood of tears.

The angels wrapped him in their light, their voices a mixture of old soothing words, _"Fear not, Child. Every wolf's howl raises from hell a human soul." (1)_

But the wolves were not convinced, "What will become of the one who accepts your offer?"

"_He will be torn from this world, forever lost to your Paradise," _the angels responded, their tones sympathetic, _"but reborn to life."_

"Is that not what Paradise is? Rebirth?" This time a wolf the color of the night sky stepped forward, coming to stand beside the white alpha; her eyes were sapphires, quiet and unafraid with a chiseled hardness lurking somewhere in their depths. They met Itachi's own stare with the force of boulders. She addressed him, not unkindly, "If what you say is true, it might be impossible to save him. Even should one of us accept."

"I cannot rest without having tried," Itachi said simply, his words hopeful; they were not lost on the she-wolf. She understood the desire to try, even if failure was the only outcome. They all did.

"Will it not change you as well?" she demanded, looking to the angels for the answer. "Will it not alter the course of his fate?"

"What is fate?" he pondered before they could answer, glancing towards the full moon and remembering that night. It would always haunt him, he knew. Even if he were to linger in this in-between reality for the rest of eternity, he would never forget the screams. He would never forget Sasuke's howling rage and the slow crushing defeat as the boy realized his brother had betrayed him.

"_Wyrd bið ful aræd!" (2)_ the angels answered. _"Fate is resolute. But fate can be reformed." _They regarded the black wolf, reading the turnings of her mind as they dipped down to encircle her,_ "Just as his choice changed his brother, so too can yours."_

"Blue, no!" A large brown wolf rushed to the she-wolf's side. "I know what you're thinking. But this boy isn't Quent's son; he's not Quent either."

She nudged him, "Hige. You boys searched endlessly for Paradise. I merely hunted you down."

"But you protected Cheza, in the end. You helped us! Why should it have to be you?"

"I was Pop's guardian," Blue whined quietly, begging him to understand. "I protected humans; I have loved them. I am not a free spirit like the rest of you, racing against the wild call of my ancestors. You belong _here_. And if I could give you Paradise, Hige…" She paused and looked at him, recalling their first conversation on the bridge. "If I could give you Paradise, then I wouldn't have any regrets."

"How do you expect me to go to Paradise without you?" Hige murmured, nuzzling her. "Don't you understand Blue? There is no Paradise without you in it. Not for me."

"We're dead," she whispered. "If I don't go, we're all lost. There won't be a Paradise for any of us. "

"Blue…" Hige backed away as the other three pack members rejoined them, a look of utter consternation written in his eyes.

"Kiba, Tsume, Toboe," Blue began, addressing them each individually, but her words fell short.

"You don't have to do this," the white wolf—Kiba—said quietly.

"Yes, I know," she answered, gazing up into the sky thoughtfully—sadly, "but somehow it feels right. I feel like I should do this for Pops, you know? I failed to protect my family all those years ago."

"That wasn't your fault!" the youngest, Toboe, exclaimed, stepping forward to nudge her. "You're a part of the pack now. You can't just leave."

"You'll have to look after Hige for me, okay?"

And before they could block her path, Blue, resigned and wary, pushed past them to walk towards Itachi. _To protect them, I will do this. To give them what they have sacrificed everything to find._ Halfway she stopped, turning around to face her friends one last time. They had already said good-bye to one another once, back in the old world. She didn't want to have to do it again.

But she lifted her head to the sky anyway, allowing a howl to penetrate the stillness of the air. It was not a sad song—as they had sung for Toboe—but a song of hope and of well-being. Of wishing for the best. _Farewell friends. Farewell…Hige._

The others did not join her. This was Blue's song, and Blue's alone. But they listened; they allowed it to lull them into her world—to nourish their weary souls. It would be okay, they decided. It had to be okay. Paradise would find her again.

The last of her cry faded into the gateway, leaving an eerie silence in its place.

Donning her human façade, she turned to Itachi, her expression serious as she closed the gap between them. "I accept. But in exchange, allow my friends into Paradise."

"_It will be done."_

A light expanded on the horizon, golden like the sun had been in the old world. It set the entire gateway on fire with colors of yellow and orange, illuminating the meadow in glowing shades of warm iridescent beams.

"_The gateway is opening."_

Blue watched as Itachi held out his hand. She accepted it quietly. "One day, should we meet again under friendly circumstances, I hope that I can repay you."

"Maybe things will be different for you too."

"_Be wary of your words!"_ the angels warned, rushing towards the pair, enveloping them, whispering to them. _"Now choose the moment, Child. Choose quickly."_

Itachi thought back to the full moon of that night, the way it seemed to grow red and dangerous—nothing like the red warmth descending now from Paradise—casting a light on his sins for the entire world to see. The angels followed his thoughts, tugging at them, picking them apart. _"I see," _they whispered.

And then they began to chant:

"_Unwind the fading cycle  
>From the darkness and untruth,<br>Cast a hand in her direction,  
>Beneath the departing moon;<em>

_Relinquish the past to fate,  
>To a partner born from doubt,<br>Abandon all wronged notions,  
>Never stop to turn around.<em>

_Plunge forward with every step  
>On the trail, though it may wane,<br>Fight like the moon for rebirth,  
>Where souls weaken but never fade." (3)<em>

"What does that mean?" Blue asked, suddenly alarmed; her entire body began to feel like it was melting away and she tried her best not to panic.

Itachi's grip tightened in encouragement, "Calm down. They speak in riddles, but they cannot change the essence of who you are. Only your personal choices can do that."

_They cannot change who I…am? _Blue wondered, vaguely as a heavy fog began to fall upon her senses. She wondered if Itachi felt the same way and fought to see him, but her eyes were shutting of their own accord.

_But who am I?_

She glanced over towards the entrance to Paradise and saw the shadows of her four friends, but they too began to fade from her vision. _Hige_.

In the fading distance, they howled a melancholy farewell, "BLLLLUUUUEEEEEE."

But, despite their cries, despite the longing she felt to answer, Itachi's voice was the last thing she heard:

_Blue, please…take care of him._

* * *

><p>Once in a blue moon, the angels come to change the course of fate.<p>

They come to make it right.

And then, before the night can wane, they disappear as silently as they arrived, running off to hug the moon and skip among the stars.

* * *

><p>1. A reference to William Blake's, <em>Auguries of Innocence<em>  
>2. A line from <em>The Wanderer<em>, an Old English poem. The translation here is my own, but it is a loose translation. The last word does not translate easily: _Fate is resolute._  
>3. Taken from my own personal collection of poems: <em>Specters of the Moon.<em> Permission must be given before using this in your own work.


	2. Chapter One

**A/N – PLEASE READ:** Exactly one year ago, I posted the prologue as a teaser until I could complete the entirety of this story. I have been working on this behind the scenes, composing the backbone of it, etc. Because I'm on the verge of losing my sanity due to my own brilliant idea of doing my Masters in a language I can only sort-of speak, I will be writing this as a way to stay anchored. This will be about twenty chapters and updates will be every MONDAY. Thank you for your reviews, your time, and your patience.

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><p><strong>Chapter One-To Lead Others<strong>

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><p><em>They stumble all night over bones of the dead;<br>And feel - they know not what but care;  
>And wish to lead others, when they should be led.<em>

_-The Voice of the Ancient Bard_, William Blake

* * *

><p>The ground was damp with moonlit dew and the forest was relatively quiet except for the swaying of sleepy trees. The wolf-dog groggily stirred from her slumber, hesitantly twisting her ears to test the air. She knew it was night without opening her eyes; she knew also that she was alone, and that the forest was not a forest that she knew. This did not immediately disturb her; after all, she was born to the natural elements. She was a part of this nature and, unknown or not, she could find her way.<p>

However, she hesitated, briefly, as smells of a distant city breached the natural odor of the earth and the aroma of humans brought a tug at her mind. _Humans._

Something about that word—the existence of these two-legged creatures—brought an unsettling feeling to the forefront of her mind, a combination of fondness and fear. _But why?_

She perked noticeably at the gentle calling of an owl, its soothing voice nudging a distant memory, though she didn't know what, exactly, to remember. Slowly she lifted her head, opening her eyes to the grim shadows of night. Silver beams of moonlight slivered through openings in the canopy ahead, dotting the forest floor with light.

Though her confusion was evident, the wolf instinctively stood, feeling considerably less vulnerable on her own feet. Hesitantly she took a few steps forward, only to find herself strangely disconcerted. Another breeze rustled the trees and this time she paused to lift her nose once more into the night sky. _Danger_, she sensed. She took another tentative step and another, though she knew not why. Her fur stood on end, now, though she knew that the danger, whatever it was, was not coming towards her.

In fact, she realized, she was moving _towards _it.

Her hesitation deepened, but she refused to stop. She was torn between the call at her back—towards the safety of the wilderness—and the call towards humanity. It was not the idea of humans that disgruntled her. It was the strange feeling welling within the wildness of her heart. She did not belong there. She did not belong _here_. And she could find no answers to settle either question.

In mid-step, she brought herself to an ungainly halt, her paw hovering above the soft night-moistened leaves. Another scent tickled the padding of her nose and she unwittingly licked her mouth in response. _Blood,_ her instincts told her. And after another moment of circumspect wondering, she deduced quickly that it was indeed _human blood_.

It drew her up and simultaneously dragged her forward—the gravity of blood—and she leapt forward into a swift lope, dodging through the shadows without care for anything but the instinctive understanding that there was a call—a subtle cry—that she was answering.

In the distance, she heard the scampering of a mouse as it escaped to the relative safety of denser ground. From above she knew that the owl was hunting and that it was waiting for its prey to make a mistake. She recognized the croaking bass of frogs, the sweetness of nightingale voices, and the wistful strumming of crickets. But as she plunged further from the solidarity of the forest and quickly approached the far-reaching lights of civilization, the cries of the animals were those of suspicion, as they too recognized the iron-scent of blood.

When she broke from the denser foliage, she was forced to a screeching halt as the evidence of a wall barred her path. Once more, she lifted her head, closing her eyes briefly as she inhaled the world with her other senses. To go through the city would be dangerous, she knew. She would be walled within the confinements of human affairs without an easy escape. But she also knew that she was short on time—though for what, she still did not understand—and that to try to find an alternative route would ultimately result in the failure of her mission.

And so with the cover of night as her only protection, she charged into the city, sticking to the slender pathways between buildings in hopes of remaining largely unseen. It was late and the majority of humans were sleeping, but she could recognize the presence of patrolling forces, hopping above her over the rooftops, and she sensed that it would be wise to avoid them.

Though she was not paying particular attention to the details of this strange, foreign city, she could tell that it was unlike anything she had ever known before. This city, though tainted with blood, exuded a brightness that defied expectations. Even in the depths of night, even with the streaming glow of the taunting moon, the city radiated confidence and peace.

Which begged the question: why, _why, _was their blood?

And as she drew closer, the smell thickened until it seemed to form a film of latent rusty air just above her nose. So much blood, she sensed. _Death, _it warned.

_Why do they bleed so much? _she wondered, as she crossed beneath an arch which read: _Uchiha_. She didn't have to see the bodies to know they were there, littering the ground with hardly any evidence of their struggle. _Unsuspecting, unaware. They did not expect to bleed like this._

But who was the culprit? The haze of blood prevented her from pinpointing the exactness of the perpetrator's location. She wasn't sure what she would do upon finding him either. It had not been her intention to come here at all; it was _unsafe_.

And still, for reasons unknown, she pressed forward, peering around her cautiously, ears swiveling in every direction, looking for clues.

A discordant scream pierced the air, riven with pain and disbelief that caused every muscle within her to tense with surprising swiftness. _Help! _the scream resonated, awakening her briefly to a different instinct—a protective one. Her reaction was unexpected—she was a wolf, after all, and a wolf was not a creature which answered to the demands of humans—but she reached out anyway, looking once briefly towards the moon as if seeking affirmation for her deeds, before galloping down a darker ally.

She lurched around the corner, practically skidding across the pathway, and growled viciously as a man and boy came into view. _He is but a boy as well, _she mentally corrected as she lunged into the air and landed lightly in front of the younger child.

The fur on her neck stretched like a lion's mane and continued to rise along the base of her spine. Another growl escaped her throat, rumbling in the eerie silence of the dead, and she bared her fangs for good measure. The fresh blood splattered on the man's clothing was not his own and his eyes were a dangerous red. And still the wolf met his gaze with a stare of her own, issuing her challenge.

The boy behind her was speaking, though it was the incomprehensible questionings of a confused child: the screaming of rage and pain, the demanding of answers for a question that simply didn't have them, and the inability to process an unforeseen contingency.

_Brother why?_ he asked. _Why, why, why?_

The wolf listened briefly, picking up the sounds of his voice. She could understand him, she realized, though she wasn't truly processing his words. She was paying attention to the changes in his scent, using her nose rather than her ears.

However, her concentration fell upon the words of the older boy, who spoke for the first time. "Foolish little brother. If you want to kill me, despise me, hate me, and live a loathsome life. Run away, run away, and cling to life. And then some day, when you have the same eyes as I do, come before me."

The boy collapsed to all fours, weakened by shock and clinging to consciousness with sheer resolve. He could find no more words; he could make no more excuses for the deeds of his brother. The wolf whined lowly, though she refused to move to his aid, fearing that the attacker might choose to take advantage of her divided attention.

However, when something within the man shifted, the wolf became uneasy. Behind his eyes lurked a gathering of power, and they began to turn, to deepen and shift. Immediately, she crouched, prepared to spring in defense.

But the power within the attacker's eyes dissipated, and though the wolf knew he had done something, she could find no evidence of an actual attack. However, when the child could no longer hold himself to reality and fell into the fleeting respite of unconsciousness, she knew the older boy was responsible. Frustrated by her inability to perceive the stranger's eyes, she snarled loudly, threatening him not to try anything with her—and wondering how she would defend herself should he attempt it.

But as the seconds continued to tick, the attack did not come. Upon closer inspection, she could see tears in the older boy's eyes, unbidden and uncontrolled. _Why does he cry_? she questioned, cocking her head, tasting the air once more to better read him.

_Sadness, _the air around him said.

Torn between her defense of the child and the strange reactions of the murderer, the wolf whined her confusion. Once more, the stranger met her gaze, holding it through his tears.

"Things are never as they appear to be, even though we are defined by what we do," he said simply, turning to leave. "I am not here to fight you."

_Wait! _the wolf thought briskly, barking her order. The stranger stopped to glance behind, the red of his eyes fading to a hollow black. She took the opportunity to move towards him, though her steps were cautious. She could not understand the entirety of the situation—why this man had murdered these people, or even _who _he had killed—but she could feel that something about it was amiss. _He is not really the enemy. Then who…?_

When she was a mere arms-length away, the wolf halted and looked up at the older brother expectantly, waiting.

"There is power in you," he observed, crouching to one knee so that they were at eye-level. "But some part of it still sleeps."

He reached out slowly, watching patiently as the wolf flattened uncertain ears to her skull and drew away. He didn't withdraw, however, and after some moments of hesitation, she finally brought her muzzle closer to inhale the entirety of his scent. She sensed nothing to fear—no immediate threat—even though the blood of his comrades stained his hands. And when his hand lightly ran along the side of her muzzle and towards the top of her head, she did not shy away.

There was something vaguely familiar about the sensation—a spiraling within her senses that lit her instincts on fire. It felt like something that had happened once before—an awakening of identity—and it rumbled within her, resonating with a past that she could not recall. She was more than mere beast, she knew. More than wolf, more than her meager existence in this world—whatever world _this _was. All of the unspoken questions wound within her like a tightly coiled spring, but she could not find the means with which to connect them. _Who am I? _she found herself whimpering in her mind. _And why am I here?_

"Can you understand me?" the stranger asked suddenly, causing the wolf to abandon her thoughts.

She looked up at him, her blue eyes reflecting the ghastly light of the full moon hanging above them, suddenly unsure. She heard his words—processed them—but was incapable of providing a true answer.

"Can you understand why I did it?"

This time she wasn't sure whether his words were meant for her or for himself, but she provided him with an answer anyway. Without hesitation, she gently began to lick away the blood on his hands.

_Humans can understand only what they see with their eyes and what they feel with their hands, _she thought, surprised by the coherence of the phrase in her mind. _But I am what I am, and I see with more than my eyes._

"I must go," he mumbled sadly; her gesture had not gone unnoticed, nor had the meaning behind it. Uchiha Itachi was not a fool. The wolf was speaking to him in her own way. _Yes,_ she was saying. _Yes I understand._ And though he was tempted to use his Sharingan to erase her memory, a new idea came to mind. "Can I trust you to do for him what I cannot?"

The wolf cocked her head, questioningly.

"Please," he begged faintly, "please take care of him—take care of Sasuke."

And the echo of his words awoke something within her like the tickling laughter of a growing fire. It was fate, she realized. She had come for this purpose. And as she stretched her mind, clawing desperately at the folds of her memories, she could unearth nothing but that singular notion: this was her mission.

With a strong bounding leap, she moved back to the boy and prostrated herself over his limp form. _I will do as you ask, _she thought, and to clarify her thoughts, she released a singular howl, letting her voice carry all of her grim determination—letting it say everything that she could not say with words. It climbed over the dead, seeped past the bloodstained walls, and raced towards the moon. _I promise._

"Thank you," he whispered, knowing that she could hear him. And this time he turned without looking back.

* * *

><p>There was no sound that could parallel the force with which the silence grasped the night after the departure of Uchiha Itachi. To a human, the lingering echo of the dead would have driven anyone to madness, but the wolf was a testament of nature's strength, and though the blood burned her nostrils and ruthlessly penetrated the very depth of her senses, she ignored it. Turning to her new charge, she began to lick the dried blood from the kunai wound on his arm and continued carefully inspecting the rest of him for further injury. When she was satisfied with her ministrations, she curled around the frame of his body, providing him with the comfort of her own warmth, and assured that no more harm would befall him that night.<p>

And though she could piece nothing together of her own existence, she pushed it aside, allowing the knowledge that _he _needed her to outweigh her own insecurities. Another day she would ponder, another day she would seek answers for herself. Tonight she would stand guard. Tonight she would begin to fulfill the beginnings of her promise. And with that resolution placed firmly in her mind, she closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the night as they wafted in on the tail of the breeze.

Soon the humans would arrive. Soon the boy—Sasuke—would awaken to the terrible reality of his brother's actions. And soon she would be his anchor. _I will not fail him,_ she decided.

* * *

><p>"Did she do this?"<p>

"Should we attack?"

"No. We don't want her to hurt the boy."

"Wait for Hokage-sama's orders."

The murmuring of voices awoke the wolf from a restless slumber and the pieces of recent events filtered back into her mind. Lifting her head, from its place besides Sasuke's shoulder, she warily eyed the armed men. When she realized they wore masks, she felt her hackles rise in suspicion, not liking that she could not meet their eyes. But instead of reacting rashly, she forced a calm that she didn't feel, and sniffed the air, judging their intentions by the scent of their emotions.

They were ill-at-ease with her presence, she deduced, but not rash enough to attack while she stood guard over Sasuke.

Some part of her knew from experience how to appeal to the softer side of a human heart, though she couldn't remember how or when she had learned this. She didn't stand, knowing that her size might only serve to frighten them further, so she lowered her ears in passive obeisance and looked at them with pleading eyes. When her expression seemed to ease some of their tension, she let out a low whine and licked Sasuke's face to show them she meant no harm.

"I think…I think she's protecting him," one whispered.

"Those kunai in the walls certainly weren't thrown by her paws," another reasoned.

"So she's on our side?"

Before anyone could answer that question, the Hokage entered the premises, his expression grave. "Uchiha Itachi," he mumbled knowingly. "Uchiha Itachi has abandoned Konoha."

The others could not hear the resignation in the old man's voice, but it did not go unnoticed by the wolf. _He knows,_ she decided. _He knows the truth._

When his eyes met hers, Sandaime's brows quirked in surprise, "What is this?"

"We have not approached to confirm whether Uchiha Sasuke is still alive. We were unsure of the wolf's intentions," admitted one of the ANBU.

"Hmm, the wolf would not guard the dead," the Hokage hummed thoughtfully, his stare narrowing as he further assessed the situation. "Sasuke-kun cannot stay here. Have him taken to the hospital. Allow the wolf to do as she pleases."

"B-but Hokage-sama," one shinobi protested, "what if she is the enemy in disguise? Or a Summon?"

"It is a known fact that Uchiha Itachi does not summon wolves," Sandaime said, closing the subject, "and there are other things to consider tonight. Remove the bodies of the dead and tape this area off from onlookers. The morning threatens to bring the tidings of bad news to all of Konoha. We must be prepared for the repercussions."

"_Hai,_" they acknowledged obediently, bounding off into different sections of the Uchiha compound to retrieve the dead.

The wolf stood when one of the ANBU began to inspect Sasuke's injuries and she watched him with a critical eye. Once he picked the helpless boy up, she whined, nudging the masked man with her nose.

"You may come along," he replied simply, and disappeared into the darkness of the night.

However, before she began to follow the shinobi's departing form, the wolf looked again at the strange old man, studying the sturdiness of his presence that masked the underlying sorrow of his scent. "I imagine that you were not a part of the plan," Sandaime spoke thoughtfully, noting her appraisal, "but I am sure Itachi does not regret your presence."

He did not expound upon his words and the wolf did not attempt to inquire further. If at one time she could speak, she could not now, and to understand fully the meaning of the Hokage's words, she would have to have her own words to use. For a moment, however, she stood in place, watching as Sandaime turned away to walk among the remains of his comrades and the tragedy of the night. He would mourn their deaths—even those who had plotted against his village. But at least death had provided them with a solemn farewell—and at least that farewell would not haunt them. After all, it was not the living who would haunt the dead.

_Is this truly what you wanted, Itachi?_ he wondered sadly, his eyes roaming over the splattered blood and the remnants of battle. _If only you could have held on a little longer. I am sorry I failed you._

But before he could admonish himself further, he felt a nudge of soft fur against his hand and looked down to see the wolf watching him cautiously. Sparing him a final glance, she licked his fingers—much as she had done to Itachi—and then turned away towards the direction of Sasuke's lingering scent. _I am here Pops, _she was saying. _I am here for a reason. _

As she bounded off towards the hospital, leaving a stunned Hokage to stare after her retreating form, she reconsidered her latest thoughts as a strange feeling dawned on her. _Pops? Why did I call him Pops?_

* * *

><p>When Uchiha Sasuke woke the next day, he determined that he had been subjected to a particularly bad nightmare.<p>

But as he registered another presence in the room—two presences, actually—his dread deepened. Especially since one was Sandaime Hokage himself.

_What? Why is _he _here?_

"It wasn't a dream?" he asked dumbly.

"Uchiha Itachi has fled the village," the Hokage confirmed warily. "I am sorry Sasuke."

"Mother? Father?" he choked, "They—they're—but no!"

And once again, he couldn't prevent the tears from falling. Inside he was cursing his weakness. _If I was stronger… I could have saved them!_

Anger surfaced quickly, replacing the hollow feeling that had invaded his heart. _Itachi… brother, _he growled mentally, grasping for anything to save him from the depression. And suddenly his brother's last spoken words echoed in his head. _Despise me, hate me…_

He could not bring himself to reason. He could not figure out how to sort his emotions. He was lost. Hate his brother? His idol?

But before he could ponder the words further, his thoughts were interrupted by the second presence in the room. The wolf had taken the opportunity to creep closer, sensing Sasuke's distress. Without preamble, she licked the salty tears from the boy's face, startling him from his darkening thoughts. "Wh-what?"

"Do you recognize her Sasuke-kun?" the Hokage asked.

At first Sasuke shook his head, but then another memory surfaced. "Wait—she was there. She stood in front of me before I collapsed."

"You've never seen her before?"

"N-no."

The Hokage stood to leave, but paused thoughtfully at the door, "She was lying next to you when we arrived and she came here of her own volition. She has not left your side." And with a significant look, he met the boy's eyes, holding his gaze, "Maybe this is the belief of a senile old man, but I'm under the impression that nothing happens without reason. Take care of her as she has taken care of you."

Sasuke did not move immediately, even after the sound of the Hokage's receding footsteps had long ceased to reach his ears. Too much had happened too quickly. In one night he had lost his family—his friends—his life as he knew it. His brother had made him relive their deaths over and over, torturing him with the loss. Hatred began to well within him because hatred was easier to feel than sorrow—it was easier and it was stronger.

_I will kill him for it, _he thought, tightening his grip on the blanket. _Brother, I will come for you._

And once again, the darkness of his thoughts was interrupted, this time by the wolf's whine.

"What do you want?" he growled, wiping at the remaining tears around his eyes. "I didn't ask for you to be here. Get lost."

But the wolf paid him no heed; instead she curled up in the remaining space at his side and rested her head in his lap. And although he seemed displeased, Sasuke could not prevent himself from automatically reaching out to stroke the softness of her fur. It was both soothing and mindless, and he momentarily welcomed it.

"Do you have a name?" he asked finally. "If you're not going to go away, I might as well call you something."

She lifted her head at the question. _My name?_ she wondered. _I don't remember my name._

"Does Wolf work?" he considered.

She snorted, almost shaking her head in distaste.

"Guess not," Sasuke decided. He studied her for another moment, considering, and then huffed, "I'm not good at things like this. I could call you Blackie—you have black fur, after all."

She growled low; it was even worse than being called Wolf.

"Blue Eyes?"

This time she perked her ears forward; it was an echo from the past—a gruff voice calling her name. _Blue._

Sasuke was perceptive; he tested the word again, "Blue?"

She yipped happily, feeling a connection with something—the name—for the first time since her awakening on the forest floor the night before. _That's it! _she thought excitedly, licking his cheek in acceptance. _I'm sure of it. _

"Alright, alright, I get it," he said, pushing her away from his face. "Knock it off. That's disgusting."

Clearly pleased, Blue wagged her tail, caring little whether or not he appreciated her affection. _Deal with it kid, _she thought with a rumbling satisfaction. _It won't be the last time. _

And with a strange contentment, she settled down against him, allowing him to reach out to her. He didn't think he wanted her there, she knew. But she sensed the comfort she brought him—having someone there beside him when the rest of the world had seemed to have disappeared over night. Though his thoughts had taken a darker turn earlier, Blue was happy to feel the lethargy that seemed to have overcome him. _He will sleep soon,_ she discerned. _He needs it. _

Within a few minutes, her prediction proved correct and Sasuke drifted off into a light slumber. _You're kind of a brat, _she thought as she studied his peaceful expression. _But I feel more like myself when I'm with you._

_I think… _Blue paused. What had Itachi said? _There is power in you. But some part of it still sleeps. _She lingered on the idea, letting it weigh itself in her mind. She was beginning to understand more—about herself and the humans. She had remembered her name. She was no longer a beast following its instincts towards the unknown cry of a child. And as she closed her eyes, striving for the peace of sleep, another thought occurred to her. _Am I… am I waking up then?_

* * *

><p><strong>Final Note: <strong>Your reviews would make me a very happy writer. When days are long, sometimes reviews from readers are the only thing that bring a smile to my face. Please let me know what you think._  
><em>


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